It seems to me that there are many different definitions of love on this site.
Maybe it will be helpful and clear up some confusion if the various definitions of love are explained.
Not the banal definitions, but the profound truth of love and what love means to you.

So, how do you define love?

asked 21 Feb '10, 04:01

Eddie's gravatar image

Eddie
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edited 10 Apr '13, 04:07

Barry%20Allen's gravatar image

Barry Allen ♦♦
11411

Defining love is not a problem. Finding words to describe it though seems impossible.

(10 Apr '13, 04:24) CalonLan
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Love is who we are at the very core of our being.It is what connects us to one another and to the Source from which we came.It is the eternal life force within us that is not dependent on any physical form but looks beyond the physical form and recognizes itself in another.It attaches no conditions and sees beyond the veil of illusion - Love is what we are all aspiring to realize - Love is God and God is Love.

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answered 21 Feb '10, 15:39

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Michaela
35.0k22677

ahah right on the money baby:) vote up

(21 Feb '10, 17:57) Mebb

@Michaela - Love the way you expressed that. :)

(02 Dec '13, 21:55) Grace

Love is one's appreciation of one's own personal qualities in another.

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answered 22 Feb '10, 13:32

Pink%20Diamond's gravatar image

Pink Diamond
29.2k84183

"He ain't heavy, he's my brother"

That is love.

(Those words of a song are also based on a true and beautiful story.)

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answered 05 Mar '10, 04:20

Inactive%20User's gravatar image

Inactive User ♦♦
480134203

God of the bible is also hate,revenge,murder...

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answered 21 Feb '10, 14:43

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Rob
7113

actually thats god in the old testament rob (the jewish holy book) the tanaqh. in the new testament (teachings of jesus and his disciples) god has a differnt approach with men and love is the basis. belive me, this use to trouble me as well but you must remmember, people of those days were WAAAAAAAAY differnt then people of today. back then murder and revenge etc. was COMMON and was more accpeted, depending on circumstances. today we live in a society where you just look at somebody wrong it can be considered a "threat". so as you see, people have changed DRAMATICALLY.

(21 Feb '10, 17:45) Mebb

so if you udnerstand where im comming from, god (im assuming) had no choice but to deal with people in that manner, for they were SAVAGES and UNCIVILISED. would you trust a repetative thief alone in your home?? would you trust a repatative child molester with your daughter?? as you see, some times things HAVE TO BE DEALT in more of a "hostile" manner, if u understand. sorry, but if im around a gang banger, im gonna be strapped up(meaning carrying a gun) cause if this man tries something im poppin him first. peace.

(21 Feb '10, 17:50) Mebb

Love Is

To know what love is, it is helpful to consider what love is not. One way of looking at it is to consider the opposite of love. You may have been taught and/or believe that hate is the opposite of love, but really, hate has its roots in fear. Both hate and fear are rooted in ego.

Love does not hate or fear anything; it’s an entirely different vibration.

Like life, love has no opposite; it just is, has always been and always will be.

The ego-self thinks it knows everything or at least believes that everything is indeed knowable. The ego lives in the world of opposites and of duality. It needs to analyze, measure (judge) and compare everything. It needs order for its understanding to be complete. To put things into boxes as it were.

Love is, in spite of our world of reason and logic and at the same time, love contains both reason and logic. Love doesn’t need reason and logic to justify its existence. Love cannot be known as an absolute fact and so, love remains both unnameable and unknowable. Love can only be experienced.

One of the difficulties of language is that the word-symbols do not accurately represent the thing itself. The word love cannot accurately describe the feeling of love. Once you personally experience the feeling of love, then you know what love is, with or without the word love.

Love is connected to, permeates and is all of all that is. The feeling of love is always there, we only need to raise our frequency in order to connect with the vibration of love and hence, to experience the feeling of love.

Unlike the world that we create with our thoughts and imagination, which is illusion, the world of love is real. In other words: Real is Love.

The word love is a pointer to the feeling of love, but love exists prior to and in spite of any label, in the form of mental image, that we, through our ego, attach to it. Like Source, Consciousness and God, Love is who we really are.

Love and appreciate your illusions anyway, feel and share your love and love will feel you… A being in the present moment of now is a being in love. There is no ending to and no limit to the love that we can allow into our life.

Love Life Now 8-)

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answered 03 Mar '10, 07:59

Eddie's gravatar image

Eddie
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Love to Love and nothing more

Love to Love and open the door

Love is grand and Love is pure

When you feel it you will be sure.

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answered 03 Mar '10, 18:24

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Brian
8.5k22099

God:) lol bye bye^^

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answered 21 Feb '10, 07:30

Mebb's gravatar image

Mebb
1.2k1521

What is love?

Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more.

That says it all! :D

edit: Seriously, there's not much to say about "love". We don't have words to describe it. I can only say that, basically, every time we use the word it is in a weak attempt to apply it properly to our mundane lives. The closest there is to its true and pure form is what parents feel to their child, and never the other way around. Anything else is just a poor approximation. It's ok to use it, and say it every day to anyone and everyone. I just think it's better to do it knowing what it really means, and knowing there is no wordy definition to it.

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answered 04 Mar '10, 23:21

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Cawas
36014

edited 18 Mar '10, 18:53

I think I just had a "Night at the Roxbury" flashback. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvJO6W7MFMI

(05 Mar '10, 04:32) Vesuvius

@Vesuvius: Hahaha, I still have to watch that! I only knew it from SNL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpwK3vFGJp0 look at all the love there! If that has anything to do with a God, he has to have sense of humor. :)

(18 Mar '10, 18:45) Cawas
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Love Is Real

Love is real, real is love
Love is feeling, feeling love
Love is wanting to be loved

Love is touch, touch is love
Love is reaching, reaching love
Love is asking to be loved

Love is you
You and me
Love is knowing
we can be

Love is free, free is love
Love is living, living love
Love is needed to be loved

by John Lennon

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This answer is marked "community wiki".

answered 18 Jun '10, 12:26

Eddie's gravatar image

Eddie
20.9k12368

Love is one of the four aspects of God: Fire, Air, Water, Earth.

Willpower is the attribute of Fire.
Knowledge is the attribute of Air.
Love is the attribute of Water.
Integration of these is the attribute of Earth.

Take look at the ocean and think. Or maybe meditate when you are in the swimming pool, and the soft water is all around you. There are many analogies between the water and love.

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answered 19 Jun '10, 13:57

Asklepios's gravatar image

Asklepios
(suspended)

I think Love is defined for me by 1 Corinthians 13 (NIV)

1 Corinthians 13

Love

1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

I think this says it all.

Blessings, Jai

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answered 21 Feb '10, 16:35

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Jaianniah
37.8k13130610

edited 05 Mar '10, 04:25

Vesuvius's gravatar image

Vesuvius
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I like verse 4.If you substitute the word Love with God ( same thing reaLly )it describes Him rather well. Like the bit about keeping no record of wrongs.

(08 Sep '10, 18:11) Monty Riviera

I choose to write a little poem of Love!

                          How do you define Love?

Love is the perfect timing for the Law of Attraction to manifest in your life.

Love is everything, with nothing left behind.

Search your heart, search your soul, love will keep flowing into your heart.

Sweeter than honey mixed with Wine, love is and always is honey to me.

Use love wisely never in despair, follow your heart, not your fear.

Love is Red Roses you get on Valentine’s Day, a special event to celebrate.

Love is fair, love is true, and you will endure love where others failed.

In essence, Love is the Greatest Gift of God, so love and be fulfilled.

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answered 22 Feb '10, 19:39

Inactive%20User's gravatar image

Inactive User ♦♦
480134203

Scott Peck wrote "Love is the willingness to extend yourself for your own or someone else's mental, spiritual or emotional growth". I think this definition requires some thought... it says love is the willigness not ability since we all have the ability but willingness requires our taking actions. To extend yourself i.e. go outside your comfort zone. Mental, emotional or spiritual growth has to be the outcome i.e. if love doesn't result in growth then its not really love - just manilpulation. And this is equally applicable to the loving others as well as ourselves, hence if we love ourselves we would go out of our comfort zones in order to pursue our growth.

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answered 18 Jun '10, 23:27

I%20Think%20Therefore%20I%20Am's gravatar image

I Think Therefore I Am
5.2k433105

2

I earlier wrote an answer to this question but since then I have had some more thoughts on the subject. Perhaps this will clarify some more aspects of Love.

http://ahas-ajournalofthought.blogspot.com/2010/09/love-vs-ishq.html

(06 Sep '10, 09:26) I Think Therefore I Am

Love is the all good !

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answered 20 Jun '10, 02:36

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Sharon
812

Love is a system. It is THE system of all things. We cannot defeat love. We cannot outwit the system of love. We have not the power to do so. Love is our ruler, monarch and master.

alt text

Love is the like the magnet in this picture that attracts all things. We humans and all that exist in this universe are like the iron filings/iron particles in that picture.

Yes, some iron filings seem to be further away from the magnet. However look how every particle is somehow influenced by the magnet.

Though some are further away from the magnet (from love), they are always under the influence of the magnet.

It is not possible for a human being to be beyond reach of the magnet in this system.

The same is not only true for human beings, but for souls, aliens, materials, stars etc. This system unifies all that is.

And on earth this system works for us human beings in an emotional way. The closer we are to the magnet, the better we feel. The closer we are, the more love we feel within us.

Those of us who are constantly sad, angry, depressed and worrying are a little further away from the magnet. But it is still not possible for them to defy the drawing power of that magnet. Again, it is just not possible. And it is also not possible to do any harm in this system.

Because this system works perfectly well. It has no flaws at all. It is perfect as it is. So therefore everything that you do as a humain being in this system is alright and absolutely valid.

But why does the magnet allow us to be further afar from it? Why don't we stay close to it all the time? The simple answer is: because we want the experience of it. Because it is boring to stay close to the magnet all the time.

Ever played a game where you always won? It is boring, isn't it?

The universe expands constantly and expansion requires motion to some degree. That's the reason why we are allowed to move just a little bit.

So this leads us to the belief: Everything you do, no matter how bad you feel, is OK and servers a purpose. Again, you cannot (yes, cannot even if you wanted to!) do anything wrong, ever!

Even if you "hurt" (which isn't possible in this system anyway) other people, the system works perfectly well.

And ultimately we will return to the magnet anyway when we "croak".

So it is all just a game and all iron filings will return to where they belong eventually anyway.

This can lead us to following (helpful) beliefs which I are very helpful to live a happy and fulfilled life:

  • I cannot ever do anything wrong, no matter what I do.
  • We are all one. I am connected to everyone.
  • Life is just a game.
  • Life is fun and I may allow myself to be at ease and more relaxed. Because everything is totally alright in this loving universe.
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answered 18 Jun '13, 13:43

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releaser99
15.1k2897

I define Love only three words "Love is life".

Love make change your life ( Good and Bad) its your...................

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answered 20 Jun '13, 08:36

Emily%20Smith's gravatar image

Emily Smith
192

Here is what Wikipedia says:

The English word "love" can refer to a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes that ranges from interpersonal affection ("I love my mother") to pleasure ("I loved that meal"). It can refer to an emotion of a strong attraction and personal attachment. It can also be a virtue representing human kindness, compassion, and affection--"the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another". It may also describe compassionate and affectionate actions towards other humans, one's self or animals.

Most websites and dictionaries give the definition of either "deep affection" or "kindness such as compassion".

To me Love is synonymous with Appreciation. When you Love someone or something, you Appreciate them (or it). Would you want to harm anything you truly appreciate? Or what you like to watch someone or something you really appreciate be in pain and suffering?

No, so Appreciation a feeling of Affection (Liking) towards another is love.

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answered 03 Dec '13, 21:27

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arpgme
4.6k1528

When we fall in love to someone, basically, it's because somehow we knew that someone could fulfill our needs. It's the same as we did when we needed something strongly, when we like something strongly. It could be considered as we felt in love with it. But it's ambiguous.

Love has to do with our essential needs. Love has to do with fulfilling our essential needs (whether it's unique to ourselves or common).

  • Somehow, whether consciously or not, we knew that something was matched to our uniqueness, then suddenly a little bit "love" came to our heart.
  • But that was the mechanism of love. That's how it worked. It has nothing to do with our feeling. If we want to know the nature of love on a level of our feeling, then we can say that "we have eager to be fulfilled".
  • But we can feel it "as a strong vibration on heart" through different ways rather than just because of love. That's the problem. How do we know that our love has relation to our essential needs? How do we know that what we need to be fulfilled could be categorized as love? How do we know that through someone our essential needs could be fulfilled?

So, there must be ways for us to understand our essential needs that might be unique (or not) to ourselves, and see if we can fulfill it through proper ways. Once we found our essential needs, it could be divided to different ways to fulfill it. If it could be satisfied through matters, then suddenly we fall in love with it. We need to know ourselves.

Our essential needs could be categorized from:

  • sense of humor
  • sense of tenderness
  • caring someone or need to be cared
  • and so forth ...

But basically, our essential needs are even bigger and difficult to be accomplished just by having several things for our own satisfaction. In the sense that each of objects could fulfill just several of our essential needs.

  • Honestly, through proper meditation and similar to this, it could put us closer to understand our essential needs and the way to fulfill it even better
  • Or perhaps somehow we can be guided through ways that it will make us closer to any possible events to fulfill our essential needs even bigger than what we could do previously (without getting help through meditation).

So, how do you define love?

  • Love is one of intense vibration within our heart that need something or someone to fulfill our essential needs. That's on the level of our feeling.
  • Practically, it could be provided by fulfilling the needs of a loved one with more emphasis on the loved ones than ourselves. Furthermore, in return, we will get fulfillment to our essential needs.

But, somehow we may find someone to fulfill our essential needs, while for ourselves, we couldn't do it to someone that we loved. It's unfair. Love involves fairness one to another. So, better check twice or more, whether we love something or someone properly within fairness.

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answered 03 Dec '13, 22:43

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Seremonia
2918

edited 03 Dec '13, 23:51

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